The events that closed out the year with Michael Brown in Ferguson, Eric Garner in New York, and the various discussions about race in America, has led me to create a project in which I want to celebrate the stories of African American men in the Central Arkansas area. I tire of the narrative that African American men in our country are without hope, we need to square ourselves away and take care of our families, or we are in need of some type of "saving." We are not victims or projects but men-made in the imago Dei-who possess the intelligence, creativity, and passion to achieve great things.

I have assembled some men whom I have had the privilege to know since moving to Arkansas. These men seek to be "the rule and not the exception." Each of the men who will be represented have served as a significant influence in my own life. These men model an example of a strong presence for their wives and children. These men demonstrate the agony and ecstasy of what it means to be a Christian. These men endeavor to leave a legacy for others to follow.

During the month of February, you will have the opportunity to see his beautiful brown face. You will hear from his own heart what it means to be a husband, father, and how he wants to cultivate a legacy for others to follow. My hope is that you would read and share his story. Above all, I hope that you would revel in the grace of God and how he works through all types of men for the glory of his name.